Time Is Running Out
by musicaldisaster2
Summary: What happens when The Cullen's find a book that might just be their Future? Will they try to fix their mistakes,How will this affect the lives of everyone involved. Will time run out before they get a chance to change anything?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I don't own anything in this chapter, Not the characters or songs or anything =( but its okay. Should I keep going? Does it suck? First fanfiction so let me know =D**_

**Edwards Point of View:**

I really didn't want to be here, I had the same thought five hours ago, which was when I came to sit out in the hammock and listen to my music on this newly acquired gadget Carlisle gave me called an iPod. I had already listened to all of the Count Basie and Duke Ellington I had on the iPod and now I was up to Charles Mingus. I am a classical musician but I don't mind listening to Jazz, I just preferred not to play it. Classical was my favorite. I choose my swing and Jazz play list to try and calm my mood. It helped a little but not as much as it usually did. Any type of music except rap usually had a better time calming me, but maybe because the reasons for my sour mood led back to music.

I would rather be home by my piano preparing a composition for the contest at school than here with no piano. Not that I didn't love my family I loved them all even Rosalie although I didn't admit it often. Lately though my siblings have been bugging me to get a girlfriend or to call Tanya back, but when I'm playing my piano all my worries and irritations slip away and I'm in my own little black abyss of a world, were nothing matters but the music. I really should have agreed when Esme offered to buy me a piano and put it here for my birthday a few years ago. I mentally beat myself up for being stupid. I heard Alice's thoughts getting closer, she was blocking me out singing, it's A Small World After All, in Spanish, backwards. So I raised the volume of Fables of Faubus by Charles Mingus it was practically blaring through the headphones. As if that would stop Alice, but a man has to try his best with limited resources. I focused on the call and response that was going between the Brass and saxophones in the piece in order to ignore Alice who had just walked out of the house heading my direction. To my surprise it was a strangely calming effect like a conversation. The next thing I knew I was on the grass and Alice was standing in front of me with my IPod in her hand and a wicked grin on her face. I was about to ring her little neck not that it would hurt her but Esme called out to us from the beach.

"EDWARD ANTHONY MASEN CULLEN! If you touch a single hair on your sister's head, you won't be able to play music or the piano for two weeks when we get back! And I mean it mister!" I backed away no one messed with Esme that way; I heard Emmett and Jasper rolling around the sand laughing like animals. Alice had a smirk on her face.

"What do you want Pixie? I was trying to get my emotions in order." I asked slightly annoyed that yet again I had been the center of there teasing. But I couldn't be mad at Alice for long because she pouted and looked like a little child being reprimanded.

"Sorry Alice, I'm not that mad at you, but why are you blocking me?" I inquired if she wasn't going to tell me why she flipped my hammock then I was going ask some questions of my own.

"You shall find out in time my brother. But I just came by to tell you that Jasper and I are going on a hike and I have seen that the scenery will help you mellow out if your interested. Perhaps you should hunt your eyes are close to black." Alice offered resting a hand on my shoulder. I thought about it for a minute and decided I would do something to the sorts of hiking and hunting and it will give me a chance to really be alone for a while. Alice knew my answer so I didn't have to say anything

_**alright big brother suit your self if you want company you know were to find Jasper and I.**_ With that thought she left. I ran in the reverse direction of them and ran just to run and feel the wind in my hair and face. I didn't have to worry about the sun or my swiftness I could just be myself. No one else would be on this Island Carlisle owed it. It made me feel less like a monster by not hiding if only minimally. I decided to run to my favorite spot by the cave entrance, it was just beautiful there. I lean against the outside of the cave, listening to the noises of the rainforest. Running always helps with my temper and now that I was serene I wanted to explore, I wanted to do anything but sit around and mope. I've come to this spot so many times over the many years of my existence and never once had I actually gone inside the cave. I thought it was worth a try; nothing bad would come from it. 'Sister Physic' by Smash Mouth rang from my pocket breaking my stupor.

"Alice" I sighed into the phone.

"Hey there my big brother! Your future just drastically brightened so I called to tell you go on that escapade, I bet you will find incredible things. By the way did you like the new ring tone I set for myself?" Alice sang into the phone, she sounded more excited that I've heard in years. The others weren't being so quiet in the back round. I assumed they returned from their hiking endeavor. My curiosity got the best of me. Although I didn't appreciate being called Big Brother I didn't deliberately spy into their minds, it was just a gift I was given, why I was given this I don't rightly know

"Alice my lovely fashion forward sister. What exactly made my future bright? Besides you that is?" I tried the sucking up scheme.

"No brownie points for you, not going to happen, and no I will not tell you what you will find. Now go look for it because this effects the ENTIRE family, we are tired of you sulking and moping around. Now GO!" she hung up. I stood at the entrance of the cave wondering how one little decision can change seven people's lives so significantly. But if it would make my already happy family happier then it couldn't hurt, could it? I stepped into the darkness of the cave but of course I see well in the dark. It seemed to be a deep cave with naturally formed benches nothing extremely interesting except a small patch of white at the far corner in the back of the cave. I was over there in a flash stunned that this would make me a happier man, well happier vampire but you understand.

**Alice Point of View: **

I knew the exact moment Edward pulled the stick out of his ass because not only did our futures change but also I saw a glimpse of someone else in some of them. I wasn't exactly sure who she was or how she knew us but she was human at least I thought she was. While I was bombarded with vision after vision I heard Jasper call me and eventually carry me. When my mind came back to present day everyone was looking at me with confusion, worry, fear and excitement.

"What did you see Alice?"

Jasper and Rosalie asked in harmony, I guess pretending to be twin's was wearing off on them. I laughed at my own little joke and felt a huge smile spread across my tiny face. I whipped out my cell phone and called Edward before I spoke with my family. Basically I told him that if he screws this up it's going to be his head although in a much nicer way. The same faces stared back at me mimicking the same emotions as before begging for me to explain. I myself was still in shock from all this news but also from my vision overflow. Emmett lifted me up from my shoulders shaking me

"PIXIE! Tells us already before we go mad! Or I swear I will throw you in that mud pile." He dropped me and I fell back to my feet laughing.

"Family our life is about to become significantly better. Edward is going to be a changed man soon. You all will see, once he gets back we can find out together." I was almost jumping in my spot from excitement and thanks to Jaspers and his gift it made me doubly as excited while everyone else felt it. Carlisle kissed his wife.

"Well it's about time our son has found happiness."

"Edward doesn't know everything that going to happen and I'm sure that when it happens he won't be convinced that it's going to end up amazing. We can't force our self's on him or tell him anything we may know that he doesn't. He needs to find it himself and we have to be patient. Alice we can't attack him it would scare him off and send him packing from whatever it is that's going to make him so happy." Rosalie offered her opinion, and I'm pretty sure Jasper's Jaw hit the floor.

"See I don't always only think of myself. Alice let's get you calmed down so you don't jump Edward, I'm fairly certain that Jasper wouldn't like that." Rosalie pulled me towards the ocean; I looked back at everyone else and shrugged my shoulders. Even Emmett looked stunned by his wife it was common knowledge that Edward and Rosalie weren't always on the best of terms. Once we were out of earshot and in the water, I got Rosalie's attention.

"Rose what exactly was that back there? You and Edward aren't exactly known for your sympathy towards each other." Straight forward was always best with Rose. She shrugged it off.

"It was nothing someone had to remind you and Emmett that shoving this information on him would only make him run. And if my guess is correct a girl might have something to do with this." Rose told me smugly showing the rare sister affection for Edward.

"Well, I'm not so sure about a girl but this thing he finds has an affect on the family. And in a few visions that I have had previously came back to me in the vision rampage that Edward caused. But this time when I saw them again a girl is with us like in the vision I received the first time we entered forks high showing us that we would be there for four long years and go by unnoticed if we avoided Jessica and her crew. Well in that vision of the future which is still the future its Edward and my junior year and we are sitting at the lunch table like always you Emmett and Jazz talking about the graduation in a few months and Edward is talking to this girl on the lunch line. But I don't know anymore than that and that she is in the most random visions." I confessed

"But don't tell the others, it's just between me and you okay Rose."

"Of course Alice, how about I race you to shore. The winner pays on the next shopping trip." Rose sung we shook on it although I already knew I would lose. But I would let Rosalie have her glory. She deserved it. As I reached shore I ran to Jasper on his beach towel getting him all wet.

"AW come on Alice! Please get up!" He wined I rolled my eyes.

"Fine but you know you liked every minute of it, Jasper Hale." Regardless I got off and ran into the house behind Rose. In our haste we didn't change into swimsuits I still had my hiking clothing on.

"I wonder what's taking Edward so long." I mumbled walking into Rosalie's room she was trying to decide between a red bikini and a green strapless one.

"Hmp. You're the one who told him to go on an adventure . . . Ali which one?" She held up both to me. I simply said "Green."

**Edward Point Of View:**

I listened to my dear sister Alice, and she happened to be right. I had tons of fun going on this adventure and found lots of things. Not that my family and I needed more historical things. Regardless it was still fun. I haven't been this happy or free in years. I would have to thank her when I got back, so much could be learnt about this island from my findings. I was excited to learn something new, it has been too long since that happened. I took my time getting back to the house knowing Alice well enough, which means my family knew about this probably more than even I did at the moment. This also means that they will block me out once they start thinking about whatever it is that she won't tell me.

After all the decades of hearing their minds, I should be able to figure it out eventually. But I won't bother myself with that; instead I took off towards home, arriving a few minutes later. No one was in the house but I heard them towards the beach so I spread my findings across the kitchen table and sat there staring at the items trying to figure out which one caused Alice's reaction. I noticed that Carlisle entered the kitchen but I didn't make a move to speak. If he wanted to talk he would let me know. I continued to stare at my things. It was an impossible task to complete, I was no physic only Alice would be able to pick out which item would set me on the path of her visions if she even knew herself. Carlisle finally broke the silence.

"What are you attempting to do son?" he asked taking a seat next to me.

"Well I was trying to figure out which item I found would set me on the path that Alice saw. But its more difficult than I thought. Did she tell you what it was?" I turned to my father in all ways that counted but biological for help with this small task.

"Nope Edward, we know as much as you do, she was to excited to really get much out, what we know is very minimal. As to your current situation did you try putting the items in the order you found them, then maybe I can be of assistance." Carlisle suggested.

"What a minute back it up. Alice didn't completely spill the beans? She didn't blurt out everything the minute she got back?!" I was almost in complete shock.

" No, but she did speak to Rosalie so, maybe she spilled it all out on her, who knows maybe you will have some luck with Rosalie's mind. But anyway how about that order now?" He chuckled I shook my head from left to right to clear it.

"Right, sorry." Then fixed the order. The order went like this a hard cover book with the title on the spine it looked like it was missing its book jacket, followed by a knife, which looked like a ritual knife of some sort similar to an athame. Then an amulet, it proceeded like so I had about twenty-five things set across the table. I saw Carlisle lean over to examine each item, I leant back and sighed, why I was such a crab face that any small happiness that these items could bring me had Alice bouncing in place from excitement. I vowed to myself I would let myself have fun with them, not for me but for the people I love, my family.

"So, Carlisle what do you think?" I questioned a hint of excitement of the unknown glinted into my amber almost yellow eyes from the extra hunting trip I took on my way back. Carlisle answered out loud only for Esme's sake she was at the doorway staring lovingly at us.

"Well, I would take a look at the book again if I were you for multiple reasons. It was the first thing you found so it has a higher chance of setting off Alice's visions. Was there anything else besides this in the First location?" he paused looking for an answer, I shook my head no

"It was the only thing I found in the cave." I commented Esme looked confused.

"Hmm, also because the book seems so out of place amongst the other things which are almost like artifacts. Lastly the fact you found it inside a cave, seems odd to me because it looks fairly new." Carlisle finished his comments, he was right I hadn't thought of it like that, I wasn't thinking logically like him. Esme joined us and sat on Carlisle's lap with the mysterious book in her hands.

"Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer seems interesting enough." Esme mused Carlisle was staring with love and I was staring at my mother with curiosity to see what she would do next, She opened the book up to the dedication and copyright page. Then gasped which was followed by the thud of a hard cover book hitting the tile floor. Her thoughts were all jumbled so I couldn't figure out if she was all right. Carlisle called to her in a concerned voice and kissed her neck.

"Esme? Esme dear, are you alright?" she shook her head to clear it.

"Mom relax your thoughts are so scattered just tell us." I put a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. She looked surprised by my words and actions.

"You haven't called me mom in almost a decade. I have my baby back!" she was so excited she squealed like Alice and she got up to hug me. I whispered in her ear

"Sorry that I was being a cynical ass mom." And gave her a hug back. Carlisle cleared his throat.

"Esme dear what did you read?" she stood straightening her clothes her thoughts were still all over the place and now I felt guilty for what I've done to my mother. I made her worry and made her think I was unhappy with my life. It was cruel of me.

"Right, Carlisle Darling correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't today June 26, 2004?"

"Yes, but I see no connection..." She stopped him with a light kiss and picked up the book opening to the page, I read it in her mind a split second before she turned the open book to him. On the copyright page it said Fist Hardcover Edition: October 2005. That was the publishing date. But it was just over a year away.

"How is this even possible?" Carlisle marveled the book still in hand.

"So technically this book doesn't even exist yet? The author might not even have started writing this book yet?" I was beyond confused so were Carlisle and Esme. The others were walking into the house when the Pixie Danced, yes danced over to us. There was a reason we called her pixie.

"That's correct 'Big Brother', Come on lets go into the living room." I snickered at her nickname but that didn't stop her, she linked arms with me and I allowed her to lead me. Carlisle and Esme followed. I was still shocked, how did this book land in its past, and our present. But then again if Vampires exist then I guess I shouldn't have a problem excepting that this book is from the future. Alice had us all assembled into the living room. _**Damn all this confusion! **_Jasper thought sending out waves of calm. _**It gives me anxiety, and Edward I know you're reading my mind. Do us all a favor and appease Alice even if you don't want to you might actually benefit you never know. **_I gave him a knowing look and a very slight nod of my head, saying yes.

"The all great Ali! Please enlighten us! What effect will a fiction Novel from the future have on us? I mean it's a fiction novel Alice." I wined; no doubt I was going to be endlessly teased by the all-endearing Emmett for this. Emmett on cue opened his mouth.

"Eddie, Darling how do you know it's a Fiction novel to being with... who knows maybe it really is the Book of Edward Cullen's Sexual Frustrations or even better Sex Eddie and Tanya: THE BOOK!"

I growled that man really didn't censor one bit exactly what he thought came out of his mouth so I had to hear it twice. After the giggling of my immature siblings and Rose smacking Emmett, Esme spoke up.

"Emmett Cullen! Leave your brother alone or else I won't stop him next time he goes to mess up your Jeep. And Alice dear will you please tell us why you assembled us here. Instead of just bouncing in you seat." She used her motherly tone

"Sorry mom... and Edward." Emmett mumbled just before Alice began, taking the book from Carlisle.

"Well, I know some of us aren't going to be happy with this idea. But I want us to read this book to each other. For a few reasons, the first one being that we will get some serious family bonding which has been needed. And second I saw that if Edward read this himself he would just run from it and us. So sorry Edward but you're stuck with us and this book until we finish it. Plus I predict horrible weather the next few days and who would want to go out in that when we get it year round anyway." Alice rambled from the armchair she was sharing with jasper. I really didn't have much of a complaint seeing as how I really didn't have anything to do here. But I heard a faint rumble of complaints from Emmett and Rosalie, mostly Emmett because of the certain direction his mind was going. Everyone else was content to just sit there and listen to who ever was going to read.

"Alice would you mind if I read first?" I figured if it was going to change my life so drastically I might as well offer my services. Alice looked shocked for a moment at my last minute decision because she didn't see it but I just smirked as she handed off the book to me.

**A/N Continue or No?... hate it love it let me know**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I do not own Twilight or any songs mention in this chapter. =/ continue or no? This chapter was fun to write. **

EPOV

I began with the preface.

"Preface. I'd never given much thought to how I would die- though I'd had reason enough in the last few months- but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. I stared without breathing across the long room, into the dark eyes of the hunter, and he looked pleasantly back at me. Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of someone else, someone I loved. Noble even. That ought to count for something. I knew that if I'd never gone to forks, I wouldn't be facing death now. But, terrified as I was, I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision. When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it's not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end. The hunter smiled in a friendly way as he sauntered forward to kill me." I took a breath and Emmett exploded with questions, Rose had been kind enough to keep him quite while I read. I silently thanked her for that, Emmett's questions started like a machine gun.

"Why is she dying? Is she even a she? Is it Our FORKS?? How could anyone be in danger in our Forks? Who's the Hunter and why does it want to killer her/him? Who's the loved one? Why is she accepting death? What Dream? Oh the cliff hangers!!"

I laughed at Emmett, while Jasper tried to calm him down enough for someone to tell him that the Preface wasn't the actual first chapter of the book and that we would find out in time.

"Emmett a preface isn't the first chapter of the book, buddy relax you will find out in time. But for now just enjoy the story and you can ask those questions but only in your head. That way you will only annoy Edward and not the rest of us." Alice explained chuckling at her-self Emmett seemed content for now.

"Edward would you mind continuing? I'm actually getting interested in this." Rosalie brought me back to reality I had been thinking about Emmett's questions myself. Wait Rosalie was interested in something other than Cars, Emmett, and herself! Maybe this book will be good for all of us! I continued on, knowing that I would get stopped at least once every page, but I couldn't bring myself to be bothered by it especially since the rest of my family was so happy at the current moment.

"My mother drove me to the airport with the windows rolled down. It was seventy-five degrees in phoenix, the sky a perfect, cloudless blue. I was wearing my favorite shirt- sleeveless, white eyelet lace; I was wearing it as a farewell gesture. My carry-on item was a parka"-

"Hey wait, Edward I thought she was in forks, why would anyone leave phoenix if there only going to end up in forks?" Emmett was confused again as usual.

"Emmett you will find out, if you don't stop interrupting Edward I will make you." Rosalie said smirking and wiggling her eyebrows

" Eww, guys not in front of everyone, and I like the sound of her shirt. But seriously Rose, Em not here." Alice commented. I continued laughing at my siblings.

"In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small town name Forks exists under a near-constant cover of clouds. It rains on this inconsequential town more than any other place In the United States of America. It was from this town and its gloomy, omnipresent shade that my mother escaped with me when I was only a few months old. It was in this town that I'd been compelled to spend a month every summer until I was fourteen. That was the year I finally put my foot down; these past three summers, my dad, Charlie, vacationed with me in California for two weeks instead. It was to forks that I now exiled myself- an action that I took with great horror. I detested forks. I loved Phoenix. I loved the sun and the blistering heat. I loved the vigorous, sprawling city." I stopped because I heard someone dry sobbing, it was Alice and I was confused. Jasper was trying to calm her.

"Alice, what's wrong? Did you see something?" she shook her head then spoke

"It's just so sad, noble and beautiful at the same time. This girl hates everything about forks and she feels that she needs to go there. She's scared of it but she believes the reason is good enough for her to go though with it, even though it will make her unhappy. She sounds like a wonderful person putting everyone before herself." I nodded agreeing with her.

"I agree to many kids, and teens in the present only think about their concerns and their worries and nothing about their parents or the ones they love and I have fallen into that category. Maybe I will learn something from this girl." I stated having a heart to heart with my family. Which was when I caught the stray thought from Rosalie

_**Oh yes you will learn A LOT! I mean I'm so addicted to all the things you do when you're going down on me in between the sheets…**_ She started singing Addicted by Saving Abel in her head, I back out but now I knew she was hiding something from me. I continued because Esme was giving me death glares, these women were really getting into this novel.

" 'Bella,' my mom said to me- the last of a thousand times- before I got on the plane. 'You don't have to do this.' My mom looks like me, except with short hair and laugh lines. I felt a spasm of panic as I stared at her wide, childlike eyes. How could I leave my loving, erratic, harebrained mother to fend for herself? Of course she had Phil now, so the bills would probably get paid, there would be food in the refrigerator, gas in the car, and someone to call when she got lost, but still… 'I _want_ to go,' I lied. I'd always been a bad lair, but I'd been saying this lie so frequently lately that it sounded almost convincing now. 'Tell Charlie I said hi.'

'I will.'

'I'll see you soon,' she insisted.

'You can come home whenever you want- I'll come right back as soon as you need me.' But I could see the sacrifice in her eyes behind the promise.

'Don't worry about me.' I urged.

'It'll be great. I love you mom.' She hugged me tightly for a minute, and then I got on the plane, and she was gone." This time it was Esme who interrupted. I could tell the reasons behind why she was angry, it was maternal.

"Why would someone do that, why would they let there baby go on a plane by herself, thousands of miles away to live so she could spend time with her new husband or boyfriend. That is cruel to let your child sacrifice for your own selfishness. That girl is going to miss her mother so much. I would never let my children do that unless they were grown adults and I knew they would come back." She looked at every one of us at her children around the room.

"Love, I'm sure that it's not entirely the whole story. As Bella described before, it seems like she did more of the caring for her mother. Like she was the adult and the mother was the child. Maybe Bella is in fact an adult." Carlisle tried to calm his wife. She thought about his words and deemed them acceptable for now. Rosalie piped up

"Yeah, maybe the mothers like Emmett, mentally suck at five years old when he wants to have fun." Emmett pouted at her, which earned him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Anyway onward with the story" Jasper pleaded not wanted to see Rose and Emmett get a chance to go any further. I complied.

"It's a four hour flight from Phoenix to Seattle, another hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles, and then an hour drive back down to Forks. Flying doesn't bother me; the hour in the car with Charlie, thought, I was a little worried about. Charlie had really been fairly nice about the whole thing. He seemed genuinely pleased that I was coming to live with him for the first time with any degree of permanence. He'd already gotten me registered for high school and was going to help me buy a car. But it was sure to be awkward with Charlie. Neither of us was what anyone would call verbose, and I didn't know what there was to say regardless. I knew he was more than a little confused about my decision- like my mother before me; I hadn't made a secret of my distaste for Forks. When I landed in Port Angeles, it was raining. I didn't see it as an omen- just unavoidable. I'd already said my goodbyes to the sun. Charlie was waiting for me with the Cruiser. This I was expecting, too. Charlie is Police Chief Swan to the good people of Forks."

"NO WAY!!" Emmett and Jasper said in unison, giving each other a high five. I was confused.

"Anyone care to explain?"

"Well our dear innocent Edward, In Forks the Chief of Police is Charlie Swan and he happens to have a Daughter! This book is for da shizzle true man! It's like an Alice from the future but only in book form! OH MAN, guys what if we made it into the book! That would be so crazy good." Emmett started to not make since anymore. Thankfully Carlisle Interrupted

"Well we will have to see, but at this point I'm more shocked as to, how this Ms. Meyer found out about this these real people, how the book wound up in the past, and I can't believe that something besides fate wanted you to have this book Edward. So unless we want to disrupt the natural order of things… ah no we need to finish reading this book. Edward please continue, natural order smatural order. We're vampires there's nothing natural about that!"

We all laughed at Carlisle, the most clear headed, smartest person we knew and all he wanted to do was find out what happened next in a book that just might be the telling of the future, this was great!

"Well Carlisle if it helps any, the natural order probably wants us to finish it or else they wouldn't have let Edward find it." I laughed even harder now as the Physic of the family said this but continued I did, unless I wanted to be dead. Because Rosalie was giving me death stares and thought _**if you don't stop laughing and read, I will personally come back here with a lighter. **_

I wasn't exactly ready to die yet so I read.

"My primary motivation behind buying a car, despite the scarcity of my funds, was that I refused to be driven around town in a car with red and blue lights on top. Nothing slows down traffic like a cop. Charlie gave me an awkward, one-armed hug when I stumbled my way off the plane.

'It's good to see you, Bells,' he said, smiling as he automatically caught and steadied me.

'You haven't changed much. How's Renee?'

'Mom's fine. It's good to see you, too, dad.' I wasn't allowed to call him Charlie to his face. I had only a few bags. Most of my Arizona clothes were too permeable for Washington. My mom and I had pooled our resources to supplement my winter wardrobe, but it was still scanty. It all fit easily into the trunk of the cruiser.

'I found a good car for you, really cheap,' he announced when we were strapped in.

'What kind of car?' I was suspicious of the way he said 'a good car for _you_ ' as opposed to just 'good car.'

'Well, it's a truck actually, a Chevy.'

'Where did you find it?'

'Do you remember Billy Black down at La Push?' La Push is the tiny Indian reservation on the coast. -"

I growled and Alice and Jasper looked at me and the others confused. They hadn't been there the last time we ran into the Black family. Carlisle explained to them the whole Werewolf's issue and my reaction. I would never admit this to anyone but the way this Bella character thinks intrigued me and I wanted to know if I would ever get a chance to read her mind. I was more than positive that it wasn't going to be like any other's that I have read in my entire existence.

I started reading again so the rest of the family didn't notice that I had gone into my own world, while pulling them from there conversations about the book so far.

" ' No'

' He used to go fishing with us during the summer,' Charlie prompted. That would explain why I didn't remember him. I do a good job of blocking painful, unnecessary things from my memory.

'He's in a wheelchair now,' Charlie continued when I didn't respond,

'So he can't drive anymore, and he offered to sell me his truck cheap.'

'What year is it?' I could see from his change of expression that this was the question he was hoping I wouldn't ask.

'Well, Billy's done a lot of work on the engine- it's only a few years old, really.' I hoped he didn't think so little of me as to believe I would give up that easily.

'When did he buy it?'

'He bought it in 1984, I think.'

'Did he buy it new?'

'Well, no. I think it was new in the early sixties- or late fifties at the earliest,' he admitted sheepishly. -"

"That was a good year for Chevy's… sorry I'm being worse than Emmett. Continue Edward." Rosalie looked down a little embarrassed. I decided that someone else was going to read the next chapter that way I could interrupt with my own questions, Alice saw the out come and winked at me as I continued.

" ' Ch- Dad, I don't really know anything about cars. I wouldn't be able to fix it if anything when wrong, and I couldn't afford a mechanic…'

' Really, Bella, the thing runs great. They don't build them like that anymore.' _The thing_, I thought to myself… It had possibilities- as a nickname, at the very least.

'How cheap is cheap?' after all, that was the part I couldn't compromise on.

'Well, honey, I kind of already brought it for you. As a homecoming gift.' Charlie peeked sideways at me with a hopeful expression. Wow. Free.

' You didn't need to do that, Dad. I was going to buy myself a car.'

'I don't mind. I want you to be happy here.' He was looking ahead at the road when he said this. Charlie wasn't comfortable with expressing his emotions out loud. I inherited that from him. So I was looking straight ahead as I responded." Cut off again, by Emmett.

"Man those are two emotionally awkward people, why can't you just be like Dad THANKS! And hug jeez. Eddie here would fit into that duo perfectly." He roared with laughter I stayed much calmer than I would have but I still defended myself.

"You know what Emmett I resent that. Just because everyone can't be as ostentatious with there emotions like you and Rosalie. Some people get embarrassed by showing there feelings and most of the world would be embarrassed with what you and Rosalie have done in public. No offense Rosalie." I wasn't nearly done with what I wanted to say but unlike Emmett I had some self-control.

"Guy's we need a good example, all we have are two different extremes, yes, Emmett and I are very public and you, Edward are very private. And I do have to agree with Emmett you'd fit in with Bella and Charlie but I don't see it as bad thing. Right Jazz? Oh and Edward no offense taken." Rosalie rambled.

"Yes Rosalie, I think Carlisle and Esme are a happy medium but it doesn't matter what other people are, because if it did then everyone would be alike and now wouldn't that be boring… although most human teenage males are mentally alike." I laughed at Jasper as he eased the tension in the room.

"Truce man, how about to make up for my joking nature I'll read the next chapter. But you got to finish this one and fast I'm bursting with curiosity." This time it was my turn to laugh at Emmett this was going to be good, I wonder if he was going to interrupt himself that would be funny.

" 'That's really nice, Dad. Thanks. I really appreciate it.' No need to add that my being happy in forks is an impossibility. He didn't need to suffer along with me. And I never looked a free truck in the mouth-or engine."

I held up my hand notifying Emmett that he should not say what he was thinking until I was done, it worked this time. 'Well, now, you're welcome,' he mumbled, embarrassed by my thanks. We exchanged a few more comments on the weather, which was wet, and that was pretty much it for conversation. We stared out the windows in silence. It was beautiful, of course; I couldn't deny that. Everything was green: the trees, their trunks covered with moss, their branches hanging with a canopy of it, the ground covered with ferns. Even the air filtered down greenly through the leaves. It was too green—an alien planet." I couldn't control them this time it was Jasper, I guess Emmett's reactions to things were contagious.

"Haha, alien planet, like the video game Em and I beat Edward at a few days back, remember Alice." How could she forget? I threatened her wardrobe if she didn't make them stop, he continued.

"But I do find it intriguing that she doesn't like to express emotions, usually there's a good reason, like fear, hurt etc. but I see none of those so far. Err sorry Edward, continue and contain the hostility please. Thing of pink unicorns like Emmett usually does." That got the whole room in a riot of laughter and if Emmett could still blush I think he would be the color of blood.

"Ignore the wrong empath and continue." I laughed a little more as Esme moved to tell Emmett that it's okay.

"Eventually we made it to Charlie's. He still lived in the small, two-bedroom house that he'd bought with my mother in the early days of their marriage. Those were the only kind of days their marriage had—the early ones. There, parked on the street in front of the house that never changed, was my new—well new to me – truck. It was a faded red color, with big, rounded fenders and a bulbous cab. To my intense surprise, I loved it. I didn't know if it would run, but I could see myself in it. Plus, it was one of those solid iron affairs that never gets damaged—the kind you see at the scene of an accident, paint unscratched, surrounded by the pieces of the foreign car it had destroyed.

' Wow, Dad, I love it! Thanks!' now my horrific day tomorrow would be just that much less dreadful. I wouldn't be faced with the choice with either walking two miles in the rain to school or accepting a ride in the Chief's cruiser.

' I'm glad you like it,' Charlie said gruffly, embarrassed again. It took only one trip to get all my stuff upstairs." I stopped hearing Alice's thought, she noticed and hid her face into Jasper's shirt.

"Alice Cullen, what do you mean _don't worry Bella we shall fix that wardrobe issue? _Alice you don't know her. Are you hiding something from me?" Esme was in giggles from my reaction to Alice's thought of shopping because she thought about that a lot.

"No, Edward why would you think I was hiding something from you. Can't I just pretend that I have a human friend who likes to go shopping with me all the time?" She tried to persuade me.

"No, because that Alice is called crazy. But I'm warning you I will figure it out. I would continue this argument, but the book is actually getting pretty interesting so I'm going to continue reading… I got the west bedroom that faced out over the front yard. The room was familiar; it had been belonged to me since I was born. The wooden floor, the light blue walls, the peaked ceiling, the yellowed lace curtains around the window—these were all apart of my childhood. The only changes Charlie had ever made were switching the crib for a bed and adding a desk as I grew. The desk now held a second-hand computer, with the phone line for the modem stapled along the floor to the nearest phone jack. This was a stipulation from my mother, so that we could stay in touch easily. The rocking chair from my baby days was still in the corner. There was only one small bathroom at the top of the stairs, which I would have to share with Charlie. I was trying not to dwell too much on that fact."

I heard a faint chorus of poor girl and poor honey from Alice, Rosalie, Esme and I think it was Emmett but it was too soft for my ears.

"One of the best things about Charlie is he doesn't hover. He left me alone to unpack and get settled, a feat that would have been altogether impossible for my mother. It was nice to be along, not to have to smile and look pleased; a relief to stare dejectedly out the window at the sheeting rain and let just a few tears escape. I wasn't in the mood to go on a real crying jag. I would save that for bedtime, when I would have to think about the coming morning. Forks High School had a frightening total of only three hundred and fifty-seven—now fifty-eight students; there were more than seven hundred people in my junior class alone back home. All of the kids here had grown up together—their grandparents had been toddlers together."

"HOLY CROW! She's going to go to Forks High… I bet anyone $50 and a week worth of joke free Emmett that she's going to mention us!" Emmett practically sang across the room, but everyone ignored him we were to caught up in what we had just read, reading into every line more than a normal person would.

"So she doesn't always put on this behavior of stoicism, she only tries to portray it in front of others. That way they don't know she's hurting or in pain, interesting for a 16 or 17 year old. She's very mature but she's also hurting." Jasper was mumbling his psychology crap when Alice slapped him.

"Jazz just shut up, I feel bad for her. I want to be there and be her best friend that she can call when she's hurting. Oh Bella I know what it's like in a school like that. Except the difference is that you're all alone, and not a vampire of course." Alice sighed; apparently she really gets into her books.

"Emmett stop pouting the only one who would be willing to bet on a book is Alice and since no one would ever beg against Alice then I suggest you stop because no one is taking you up on your offer." Rosalie was getting annoyed at her husband for quietly wining in her ear when no one answered.

"Well, if we are all talking I'm a little bit more at peace to know that her mother still requires her to keep in contact. But it's sad to know that she will cry the whole night and no one will comfort her." Esme whispered hugging onto Carlisle. I felt the same way they all did, like Alice I wanted to comfort her and I didn't even know her. There glares hardened when I didn't continue and a growl pulled me from my reverie, I began reading again.

"I would be the new girl from the big city, a curiosity, a freak. Maybe, if I looked like a girl from Phoenix should, I could work this to my advantage. But physically, I'd never fit in anywhere. I _should_ be tan, sporty, blond—a volleyball player, or a cheerleader, perhaps—all the things that go with living in the valley of the sun. Instead, I was ivory-skinned, without even the excuse of blue eyes or red hair, despite the constant sunshine. I had always been slender, but soft somehow, obviously not an athlete; I didn't have the necessary hand-eye coordination to play sports without humiliating myself- and harming both myself and anyone else who stood to close. When I finished putting my clothes in the old pine dresser, I took my bag of bathroom necessities and went to the communal bathroom to clean myself up after the day of travel. I looked at my face in the mirror as I brushed through my tangled, damp hair. Maybe it was the light, but already I looked sallower, unhealthy. My skin could be pretty—it was very clear, almost translucent-looking—but it all depended on color. I had no color here. Facing my pallid reflection in the mirror, I was forced to admit that I was lying to myself. I wasn't just physically that I'd never fit in. And if I couldn't find a niche in a school with three thousand people, what were my chances here? I didn't relate well to people my age. Maybe the truth was I didn't relate well to people, period. Even my mother, who I was closer to than anyone else on the planet, was never in harmony with me, never on exactly the same page. Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain. But the cause didn't matter. All that mattered was the effect. And tomorrow was just the beginning."

"Come on Eddie don't you see it, a pale girl who is obviously pretty but doesn't see herself clearly, who didn't fit in with normal teenagers because he mind is either more advance or mature and likes to be strong for others. Doesn't she seem like your perfect match already and we don't even know her though the book yet! I'm Excited, maybe she will be your dirty little secret that will transform into secret lovers and then bloom into Lay all your love on me!" Emmett rambled. Rosalie and I rolled our eyes although hers had a slight glimmer of knowledge that mine lacked but I couldn't see what. In her mind she was weight the pros and cons of duck taping Emmett's mouth then chaining his arms so he couldn't rip off the duck tape.

"Emmett can you stop using the names of songs from the All American rejects, Boys II Men and Abba when explaining the out come of someone's love life!" Alice huffed but like Rosalie her mind was occupied with things that weren't relevant. The two of them were hiding something and I'm sure that Esme will be in on it soon. But I will make it a point to figure it out from the small amount of slip-ups that are bound to happen.

"Emmett's partially right here Edward, she has an old soul the way you do. I feel bad that she's alone with no friends, and that the only one who can relate to her the smallest amount lives miles and miles away. But then again it doesn't help that I'm feeling this from five almost six people and myself. Guys reign in the emotions for now, for all we know this might be a fiction novel." Jasper complained.

"Sorry, son but I think we have all fallen under the spell of Twilight. Edward please proceed before Jasper explodes with emotions." Carlisle asked, _**wow this must be getting interesting, if Emmett and Carlisle are paying attention. Maybe it's just because it's set in forks. Who knows, but we will see soon. **_I thought and continued reading.

"I didn't sleep well that night, even after I was done crying. The constant whooshing of the rain and wind across the roof wouldn't fade into the background. I pulled the faded old quilt over my head, and later added the pillow, too. But I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, when the rain finally settled into a quieter drizzle. Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a cage. Breakfast with Charlie was a quiet event. He wished me good luck at school. I thanked him, knowing his hope was wasted. Good luck tended to avoid me. "

"She sounds depressed. I just wish that she wouldn't be so down, although I can understand the change from constant sun to Forks, which is big in it's self. Especially when you don't like the rain or wet. But for some reason I can't get over the fact that she is willing to suffer so much just for the happiness of someone else. She is truly a model young woman. I just wish she had someone to comfort her, a mother or even a best friend." Esme sighed, I rolled my eyes from reading her mind I found out that she forgot that she wasn't reading it herself and was embarrassed for interrupting.

"It's okay mom, besides who knows maybe she does have a best friend or someone equivalent. We don't know yet, all we know is her mom is with Phil and her relationship with her dad isn't one were much emotion is shown because the embarrassment it causes them." I simply stated. She looked at me with motherly eye's I continued before anyone could get another word in, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"Charlie left first, off to the police station that was his wife and family. After he left, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three non-matching chairs and examined his small kitchen, with its dark paneled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Nothing was changed. My mother had painted the cabinets eighteen years ago in attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First a wedding picture of Charlie and my mom in Las Vegas, then one of the three of in the hospital after I was born, taken by a helpful nurse, followed by the procession of my school pictures up to the last year's. Those were embarrassing to look at – I would have to see what I could do to get Charlie to put them somewhere else, at least while I was living here. It was impossible, being in this house, not to realize that Charlie has never gotten over my mom. It made me uncomfortable. I didn't want to be too early to school, but I couldn't stay in the house anymore. I donned my jacket – which had the feel of a biohazard suit – and headed out into the rain. It was just drizzling still, not enough to soak me through immediately as I reached for the house key that was always hidden under the eaves by the door, and locked up. The sloshing of my new waterproof boots was unnerving. I missed the normal crunch of gravel as I walked. I couldn't pause and admire my truck again as I wanted; I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet that swirled around my head and clung to my hair under my hood." I laughed at Rosalie's thoughts and she joined in the laughter when she noticed. Everyone else looked confused; I nodded for Rosalie to explain.

"Edward read my mind, when I was thinking _see I'm not the only girl who likes to admire cars and cares about her hair._ Edward thought it was funny."

"That's my Rosie!" Emmett cried and crashed his lips into hers, while everyone laughed at the comment, I joined their laughter but for a different reason this time. I had been guilty of the exact thing I mentally accused Emmett of doing. I had interrupted myself; I guess it was just inevitable while reading a book that might be about the future. And yet again I couldn't help myself from thinking about how it would be to read Isabella –Bella's mind. Such a selfless teenager/person would be a grateful change to the buffoons that pass as students in Forks High. I was pulled from my thoughts when, the laughter stopped and Alice started talking.

"Seriously guys, get a room." Alice told Emmett and Rose snuggling closer to Jasper. Emmett chuckled taking his lips and hands off of Rosalie.

"We have one, and we put it to good use frequently." Emmett smirked while pulling Rose to his side. Neither of them looked ashamed or embarrassed in the least bit. Jasper was pleading me in his head to continue or else he would have to take Alice to one of the two bedrooms thanks to our other sibling's wild emotions. I nodded in his direction continuing, he silently thanked me a few million times.

"Inside the truck, it was nice and dry. Either Billy or Charlie had obviously cleaned it up, but the tan upholstered seats smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline, and peppermint. The engine started quickly, to my relief, but loudly, roaring to life then idling at top volume. Well, a truck this old was bound to have a flaw. The antique radio worked, a plus that I hadn't expected. Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that it was a school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon – colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically. Where were the chain-linked fences, the metal detectors? I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading FRONT OFFICE. No one else parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot.

"Bella has a large point there, our school no matter how much we hate it doesn't feel like an institution. It reminds me of being in the south, back in the day with the schoolhouses. It's quite a tranquil feeling at times opposed to a New York City high school. No matter how many times we consider it purgatory it's probable that it could be much worse." I didn't have the heart to be angry at Jasper as he thought fondly of his past. I did agree with him, to an extent. At least in New York City, the schools are huge so we wouldn't be noticed as much, also the same humans wouldn't throw themselves at us. Well they would but it was more likely to be a different person everyday. I just couldn't stand Jessica or Lauren's thoughts anymore. Jessica even had the nerve to ask me out again before summer vacation after I rejected her numerous times already and apparently she hasn't even started. I sighed at my own memories of forks high and continued.

"I stepped unwillingly out of the toasty truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door. Inside, it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed. The red-haired women looked up. 'Can I help you?'

' I'm Isabella Swan,' I informed her, and saw the immediate awareness light in her eyes. I was expected, a topic of gossip no doubt. Daughter of the Chief's flighty ex-wife, come home at last." I stopped knowing my dear brother Emmett all to well.

"Ah, Ms. Cope, hey Edward do you remember good old Ms. Cope? Our first day of school she was about ready to jump over the counter and drag you into the broom closet. Correct me if I am wrong, but I bet that those thoughts run through her head every time you enter the room, especially when you dazzle her to get us what we want." I rolled my eyes at Emmett's goofiness, in reality she thought much, much worse than that but I wouldn't give him more ammo for the fire.

"I had always wanted to redecorate that room. I mean orange carpet, really? That is so seventies!" Alice rambled, an image of Alice during the seventies popped in my head. Alice wore blood red Go Go boots and a tie dye dress in mostly shades of red with a huge brass peace sign necklace around her neck. I thought of everyone else in similar attire I couldn't help but laugh.

"Alice you had your fair share of seventies attire. I bet we could dress up everyone in Forks high from the amount of seventies and eighties clothing we all have in the storage rooms." Rosalie nodded in agreement while Emmett clutched his sides in laughter remembering when he tried to get high. I could tell everyone was reminiscing.

"That's besides the point, it was in fashion then, now it would be just tacky. I can imagine the amount of gossip about Bella. Edward continue please, then maybe I will reconsider forcing you into your seventies clothing for the first week of school, that includes the men's platforms." Alice was trying to get off of the topic of her and tacky clothing but continue I did, I secretly wanted to know what Bella said about us, what she thought. I was dieing to know. Would she think we were scary? Also I did not want to be caught dead in those clothes again unless of course it was Halloween.

"'Of course,' she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for.

'I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school.' She brought several sheets to the counter to show me. She went through my classes for me highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped, like Charlie, that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could. When I went back out to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were older like mine, nothing flashy. At home I'd lived in one of the few lower-income neighborhoods that were included in the Paradise Valley District. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot. The nicest car here was a shiny Volvo, and it stood out. Still, I cut the engine as soon as I was in a spot, so that the thunderous volume wouldn't draw attention to me. I looked at the map in the truck, trying to memorize it now; hopefully I wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of my nose all day. I stuffed everything in my bag, slung the strap over my shoulder, and sucked in a huge breath. I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. No one was going to bite me."

"That's what she say's now, guys we better keep Jasper away from her. We wouldn't want to prove her so completely wrong, ah the obliviousness of humans." Emmett laughed uncontrollably, earning a smack in the back of the head from Rosalie. Jasper was fuming but took it on his chin, while planning revenge on Emmett.

"I smell foreshadowing!" Alice Sang, which confused most of us not understanding how that could be foreshadowing.

"I'm just going to continue because the tension is just building up like a brick house between you two." I said pointing at my brothers and proceeded with the tale.

"I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck. I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walk to the sidewalk, crowed with teenagers. My plain black jacket didn't stand out. I noticed with relief. Once I got around the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot. A large black '3' was painted on a white square on the east corner. I felt my breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats through the door. The classroom was small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. I copied them. They were two girls, one a porcelain-colored blonde, the other also pale, with light brown hair. At least my skin wouldn't be a standout here. I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me when he saw my name – not an encouraging response – and of course I flushed tomato red. But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It was harder for my new classmates to stare at me in the back, but somehow, they managed. I kept my eyes down on the reading list the teacher had given me. It was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner. I'd already read everything. That was comforting … and boring. I wondered if my mom would send me my folder of old essays, or if she would think that was cheating. I went through different arguments with her in my head while the teacher droned on. ."

"I like her, she likes classics and doesn't like attention. And from what we can tell she seems smart. I'd totally do the essay thing if I was human." Jasper whispered to Alice who nodded in agreement. Shockingly I was jealous that Jasper liked Bella, I don't know why but I felt it I tried to shake the feeling and continued.

"When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a gangly boy with skin problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.

' You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?' He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.

' Bella,' I corrected. Everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at me. 'Where's your next class?' he asked I had to check in my bag.

'Um, government, with Jefferson, in building six.' "

"That sounds like the game Clue… Ms. Potts in the dinning room with the candlestick. And that has to be Eric, I'd say Newton but he doesn't have black hair he's just overly helpful." Rosalie stated, Esme and Carlisle were giggling about her comment on clue; I ignored them and continued, Eric was getting on my nerves.

"There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes. 'I'm heading toward building four, I could show you the way…'

Definitely over-helpful. 'I'm Eric,' he added. I smiled tentatively.

'Thanks.' We got out jackets and headed out into the rain, which had picked up. I could have sworn several people behind us were walking close enough to eavesdrop. I hoped I wasn't getting paranoid.

'So, this is a lot different than Phoenix, huh?' he asked.

'Very.'

' It doesn't rain much there, does it?'

' Three or four times a year.'

' Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered.

'Sunny,' I told him.

'You don't look very tan.'

'My mother is part albino.' He studied my face apprehensively, and I sighed. It looked like clouds and a sense of humor didn't mix. A few months of this and I'd forget how to use sarcasm."

"It seems that this Eric boy is dense, he completely ate up the albino line, my apologies for interrupting." How could I be mad at Esme when she said sorry for something my siblings have been doing persistently throughout the chapter I couldn't wait for Emmett's turn.

"We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. Eric walked me right to the door, though it was clearly marked.

'Well, good luck,' he said as I touched the handle.

'Maybe we'll have some classes together.' He sounded hopeful. I smiled at him vaguely and went inside. The rest of the morning passed in about the same fashion. My trigonometry teacher, Mr. Varner, who I would have hated anyway just because of the subject he taught, was the only one who made me stand in front of the class and introduce myself. I stammered, blushed, and tripped over my own boots on the way to my seat. After two classes, I started to recognize several of the faces in each class. There was always someone braver than the others who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks. I tried to be diplomatic, but mostly I just lied a lot. At least I never needed the map. One girl sat next to me in Trig and Spanish, and she walked with me to the cafeteria for lunch. She was tiny, several inches shorter than my Five foot four inches, but her wildly curly dark hair made up a lot of difference between our heights. I couldn't remember her name, so I smiled and nodded as she prattled about teachers and classes. I didn't try to keep up." I paused and caught Emmett's eye.

"JESSICA!" we both screamed at the same time followed by hysterical laughter.

"I never liked that girl, she's so fake." Alice mumbled while we roared with laughter Rose agreed with Alice. Silently we all agreed with Alice that girls attempts to get me as her boyfriend or for me to even notice her have gotten on everybody's nerves. I figured if I didn't continue they would all kill me and I wasn't exactly ready to die just yet, I haven't meet Bella yet… _**WOHA where did that come from I thought. **_

I proceeded with the novel clearing my throat first to catch my family's attention and to try and now thing about why I wanted to get to know Bella.

"We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, who she introduced to me. I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them. They seemed impressed by her bravery in speaking to me. They boy from English, Eric, waved at me from across the room. It was there, sitting in the lunchroom, trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, that I first saw them. They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away from where I sat as possible in the long room. There were five of them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them." I stopped as an epiphany hit me and Jasper noticed, he didn't say anything but his wife was another story.

"EDWARD ANTHONY MASEN CULLEN, SO HELP YOU GOD IF YOU DON'T CONTINUE READING! It's the good part, I can speak for everyone and say that we really need to know who those five people are." She was standing in front of me waving her fits in the air as she yelled. A smile spread on my face as I realized that not one of my family members noticed why I had an epiphany or why I had stopped. I couldn't help myself I rolled out of the chair laughing so hard. They all stared at me in a state of total shock and confusion while I laughed harder than I had in decades. I noticed Alice and Rosalie's thoughts getting particularly violent so I decided to enlighten them. I stood up and brushed myself off while grabbing the book that had ended up at the other end of the room in my fit of hysterics. If it were possible Steam would be coming out of Alice's ears. Carlisle and Esme just looked rather amused at the situation, I think they were catching on. The others kept forgetting that this book might not exactly be fiction.

"Alice I'm truly sorry I laughed at you, but in my defense I wasn't really laughing at you. I was laughing at the situation. No one realized who the five strangers are, but I on the other hand think it's pretty obvious. Listen to those three sentences again. They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away from where I sat as possible in the long room. There were five of them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them. Doesn't it sound like someone you know?" I repeated for them, realization dawned on their faces. Emmett and Jasper were laughing, Alice was smiling but blocking me so I assumed she was getting a vision she didn't want me to see. But Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme were concerned; Jasper felt it too and stopped laughing.

"Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie? What's wrong?" Jasper asked as Alice and Emmett stopped laughing.

"Well, Jazz if a human girl who has never seen us before and is new to the school. Noticed that we don't eat, and we don't talk to each other much, then we aren't doing as good of a job as we thought we were. What if other people in the school suspect something?" Rosalie mouthed her concerns, Esme and Carlisle sadly agreed. I was shocked, I of all people would have noticed if people suspected and they didn't. Alice would also have seen and she hadn't I came up with a good argument in my head. I didn't want to risk losing the chance to read this girls mind she was all to interesting not to, and I really didn't want to move again because then I would have to start out as a freshman yet again.

"It's impossible that the rest of the school suspects. I know, they only think that we are weird and anti social and the occasional guy or girl wants the courage to ask one of us on a date. Believe me no reason to up and leave, plus as I have noticed in these few pages that Bella is very observant. She isn't the normal human; there is no need to worry. I assure you." I tried to convince them, they looked slightly convinced but I needed my point to be made one hundred percent clear. I looked at Alice pleading her with my eyes to say something, her mind was once again blocked but I didn't mind for the moment. Her eye's sparkled with excitement as she spoke to back up my point.

"Edward is right with this, I would see if something went wrong and he would hear it in their thoughts." I could tell that she wanted to say more but she didn't, it referred to the thing she wanted to hide from me, the others noticed but didn't say anything to her. Instead Rose brought up another worry.

"I love Bella, from the book and I understand all her hardship and everything. If she happens to actually be real I would be comfortable being friends, even best friends. But I can't help to think, that her noticing things about us is going to cause some type of problem. I feel horrible thinking like that about such a nice person but it's my gut feeling." Rosalie said partly hiding her face in Emmett's shoulder. I was surprised that Rosalie was even, considering Bella's personality because Rosalie isn't usual one to have patients with humans. Not that I blame her after all they did to her, but Bella's character must have really brought out Rosalie's more sensitive, girl side like Alice, and Esme.

"Rosie, we don't have to worry about that right now. As far as we know this book is made up using very real people. And even if it is real, then I'm sure we can handle it. Plus it's in the future, so if something happens that would be bad for us then we will know ahead of time and we will be able to fix it or avoid it all together." Emmett told her and she nodded her head yes. Esme and Carlisle looked more comfortable after everyone's reassurances. And I was a little surprised at how fast Emmett could switch off the Five-year-old mind and turn on the smart and serious Emmett when he needed to be.

"Just let Edward finish, we let ourselves get all upset over something that might not even be true. She might just think that we are weird and blow it off like the rest of them." Jasper had a point, but I doubted it. I gave Bella more credit than that. Jasper gave me a knowing glance; I shrugged and continued with the book.

"They weren't gawking at me, unlike most of the other students, so it was safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes. But it was none of these things that caught, and held my attention." I stopped taking in an unnecessary breath, I was nervous I felt the stress in the room so I continued.

"They didn't look anything alike. Of the three boys, one was big –muscled like a serious weight lifter, with dark, curly hair. Another was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and honey blond. The last was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze –colored hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college, or even teachers here rather than students. The girls were opposites. The tall one was statuesque. She had a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of the Sports illustrated swimsuit issue, the kind that made every girl around her take a hit on her self-esteem just by being in the same room. Her hair was golden, gently waving to the middle of her back. The short girl was pixielike, thin in the extreme, with small features. Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction. And yet, they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this sunless town. Paler than me, the albino."

I stopped and thought about the major detail in which this girl had taken in from us, unlike most who just thought we were hot or sexy, she thought it out and compared it to things she knew like Rosalie and the swimsuits, I liked that about her. Everyone else had the same thoughts written on their faces so I continued.

"They all had very dark eyes despite the range in hair tones. They also had dark shadows under those eyes –purplish, bruise-like shadows. As if they were all suffering from a sleepless night, or almost done recovering from a broken nose. Though their noses, all their features, were straight, perfect, angular. But all this is not why I couldn't look away. I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful. They were faces you never expected to see except perhaps on the airbrushed pages of a fashion magazine. Or painted by an old master as the face of an angel. It was hard to decide who was the most beautiful –maybe the perfect blond girl, or the bronze-haired boy. They were all looking away –away from each other, away from other students, away from anything in particular as far as I could tell. As I watched, the small girl rose with her tray –unopened can of soda, unbitten apple –and walked away with a quick, graceful lope that belonged on a runway. I watched, amazed at her lithe dancer's step, till she dumped her tray and glided through the back door, faster than I would have thought possible. My eyes darted back to the others, who sat unchanging."

"Aw… Eddie, she thinks you're the most beautiful how sweet. And she compared me to a dancer, I love dancing, And Fashion Magazines just because she mentioned Fashion she's my new best friend, right Rose?" Rose just smirked at Alice and her energy motioning me to get on with it already in that Rosalie way.

" 'Who are they?' I asked the girl from my Spanish class, whose name I'd forgotten. As she looked up to see who I meant –though already knowing, probably, from my tone –suddenly he looked at her, the thinner one, the boyish one, the youngest, perhaps. He looked at my neighbor for just a fraction of a second, and then his dark eyes flickered to mine. He looked away quickly, more quickly than I could, though in a flush of embarrassment I dropped my eyes at once. In the brief flash of a glance, his face held nothing of interest –it was as if she had called his name, and he'd looked up in involuntary response, already having decided not to answer. My neighbor giggled in embarrassment, looking at the table like I did." I stopped myself to say something else.

"You know she probably did call my name out in her mind of course, anyway sorry." I had a goofy grin on and continued.

"' That's Edward and Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife.' She said this under her breath. I glanced sideways at the beautiful boy, who was looking at his tray now, picking a bagel to pieces with long, pale fingers. His mouth was moving very quickly, his perfect lips barely opening. The other three still looked away, and yet I felt he was speaking quietly to them. Strange, unpopular names, I thought. The kinds of names grandparents had. But maybe that was in vogue here –small town names? I finally remembered that my neighbor was called Jessica, a perfectly common name. There were two girls named Jessica in my History class back home.

'They are … very nice-looking.' I struggled with the conspicuous understatement." I didn't pause but as I read I let the words and my thoughts soak in my brain. I knew I was beautiful, perfect even we all knew this, and we weren't oblivious to our looks. But for some reason when Bella referred to me as the beautiful boy or the one with perfect lips my stone heart soared like never before.

" 'Yes!' Jessica agreed with another giggle.

'They're all _together_ though –Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they _live_ together.' Her voice held all the shock and condemnation of the small town, I thought critically. But, if I was being honest, I had to admit that even in Phoenix, it would cause gossip.

'Which ones are the Cullens?' I asked.

'They don't look related…'

'Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen is really young, in his twenties or early thirties. They're all adopted. The Hales _are_ brother and sister, twins –the blondes –and they're foster children. '

'They look a little old for foster children.'

'They are now, Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that.'

'That's really kind of nice –for them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything.'

'I guess so,' Jessica admitted reluctantly, and I got the impression that she didn't like the doctor and his wife for some reason. With the glances she was throwing at their adopted children, I would presume the reason was jealousy.

'I think that Mrs. Cullen can't have any kids, though,' she added, as if that lessened their kindness. Throughout all this conversation, my eyes flickered again and again to the table where the strange family sat. They continued to look at the walls and not eat."

" It figures that Jessica of all people has to tell her about us, I had a little bit of hope that we would introduce ourselves or at least some one nice and not fake like Angela or even Ben. And Edward you really should be meaner to Jessica, she's being cruel to Esme and Carlisle and she doesn't even know them. Bella's smart to catching on to Jessica and her lusting right away." Alice pouted she really wanted to be Bella's best friend. I wanted to see what else she would say especially about me-err I mean us.

" 'Have they always lived in forks?' I asked. Surely I would have noticed them on one of my summers here.

'No,' she said in a voice that implied it should be obvious, even to a new arrival like me.

'They just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska.' I felt a surge of pity, and relief. Pity because, as beautiful as the were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted. Relief that I wasn't the only newcomer here, and certainly not the most interesting by any standard. As I examined them, the youngest, one of the Cullens, looked up and met my gaze, this time with evident curiosity in his expression. As I looked swiftly away it seemed to me that his glance held some kind of unmet expectation.

'Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair?' I asked. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, and he was still staring at me, but not gawking like the other students had today –he had a slightly frustrated expression. I looked down again.

'That's Edward. He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him.' She sniffed, a clear case of sour grapes. I wondered when he'd turned her down. I bit my lip to hide my smile. Then I glanced at him again. His face was turned away, but I thought his cheek appeared lifted, as if he were smiling, too. After a few more minutes, the four of them left the table together."

"Aw, Edward my son. I think she's taken with you, and you with her, she smiled and so did you." Carlisle seemed proud.

"Edward was staring, the gentlemen, the monk was staring at a girl and smiled." Rosalie teased me, I didn't mind because I couldn't explain my future actions. But I did wonder about one thing.

"Why was I frustrated, if I read her thoughts I would have heard something similar to what we read and there was nothing bad in that."

"Maybe you were mad about something else like Jessica's thoughts or at a vision Alice had which is why she left. Hey! Why did she leave?" Jasper asked.

"Maybe you finally scared her off with you civil war talk and the unhealthy obsession with Bad touch by the bloodhound gang." Alice glared at Emmett for his comment then pounced knowing his moves already she pinned him.

"Alright you big goof! Can you leave Jasper alone for an hour!?" Alice growled looking very animalistic. Rosalie, Carlisle, Esme and myself gave Jasper a knowing look; he tampered with Alice's emotions. She mumbled a quick sorry and went back to her seat.

"They were all noticeable graceful –even the big, brawny one. It was unsettling to watch. The one named Edward didn't look at me again. I sat at the table with Jessica and her friends longer than I would have if I'd been sitting alone. I was anxious not to be late for class on my first day. One of my new acquaintances, who considerately reminded me that her name was Angela, had Biology II with me the next hour. We walked to class together in silence. She was shy, too. When we entered the classroom, Angela went to sit at a blacktopped lab table exactly like the ones I was used to. She already had a neighbor. In fact, all the tables were filled but one. Next to the center aisle, I recognized Edward Cullen by his unusual hair, sitting next to that single open seat. As I walked down the aisle to introduce myself to the teacher and get my slip signed, I was watching him surreptitiously. Just as I passed, he suddenly went rigid in his seat. He stared at me again, meeting my eyes with the strangest expression on his face –it was hostile, furious. I looked away quickly, shocked, going red again."

" EDWARD ANTHONY MASEN CULLEN! You will have no reason to be that rude to a woman especially someone as nice as Bella! Hostile, furious?!? Really." Esme sighed I was also disappointed by my future actions everyone could tell.

" I'm sure you will have a very good reason for it, lets just see how it plays out." Carlisle confirmed, the voice of reason. I was still mad at myself regardless of the reason.

" I stumbled over a book in the walkway and had to catch myself on the edge of a table. The girl sitting there giggled. I'd noticed that his eyes were black –coal black. Mr. Banner signed my slip and handed me a book with no nonsense about introductions. I could tell we were going to get along. Of course, he had no choice but to send me to the one open seat in the middle of the room. I kept my eyes down as I went to sit by _him,_ bewildered by the antagonistic stare he'd given me. I didn't look up as I set my books on the table and took my seat, but I saw his posture change from the corner of my eye. He was leaning away from me, sitting on the extreme edge of his chair and averting his gave like he smelled something bad. Inconspicuously, I sniffed my hair. It smelled like strawberries, the scent of my favorite shampoo. It seemed an innocent enough odor. I let my hair fall over my right shoulder, making a dark curtain between us, and tried to pay attention to the teacher."

" I think I know Edwards problem, Bella smell's good to him and he's trying to resist it. Although I don't know if she is his singer or not but continue." Carlisle said and then explained about how a person's blood could sing to a vampire and it would smell unlike anything else in the world.

" Unfortunately the lecture was on cellular anatomy, something I'd already studied. I took notes carefully anyway, always looking down. I couldn't stop myself from peeking occasionally through the screen of my hair at the strange boy next to me. During the whole class, he never relaxed his stiff position on the edge of his chair, sitting as far from me as possible. I could see his hand on his left leg was clenched into a fist, tendons standing out under his pale skin. This, too, he never relaxed. He had the long sleeves of his white shit pushed up to his elbows, and his forearm was surprisingly hard and muscular beneath his light skin, He wasn't nearly as slight as he'd looked next to his burly brother. The class seemed to drag on longer than the others. Was it because the day was finally coming to a close, or because I was waiting for his tight fist to loosen? It never did; he continued to sit so still it looked like he wasn't even breathing. What was wrong with him? Was this his normal behavior? I questioned my judgment on Jessica's bitterness at lunch today. Maybe she was not as resentful as I'd thought. It wouldn't have anything to do with me. He didn't know me from eve. I peeked up at him one more time, and regretted it. He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched away from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase _if looks could kill _suddenly ran through my mind. At that moment, the bell rang loudly, making me jump, and Edward Cullen was out of his seat. Fluidly he rose –he was much taller than I'd thought –his back to me, and he was out the door before anyone else was out of their seat. I sat frozen in my seat, staring blankly after him. He was so mean. It wasn't fair. I began gathering up my things slowly, trying to block the anger that filled me, for fear my eyes would tear up. For some reason, my temper was hardwired to my tear ducts. I usually cried when I was angry, a humiliating tendency."

"I think you might be on to something, it's the only way I can explain those actions, It hasn't even happened yet and I feel so horrible for almost making her cry." I sighed, Jasper mumbled something like I know and I was told to finish up the chapter by Emmett's mind he really wanted to read for some reason.

" 'Aren't you Isabella Swan?' a male voice asked. I looked up to see a cute, baby-faced boy, his pale blond hair carefully gelled into orderly spikes, smiling at me in a friendly way. He obviously didn't think I smelled bad.

'Bella,' I corrected him, with a smile.

'I'm Mike.'

'Hi, Mike.'

' Do you need any help finding your next class?'

'I'm heading to the gym, actually. I think I can find it.'

'That's my next class, too.' He seemed thrilled, thought it wasn't that big of a coincidence in a school this small. We walked to class together; he was a chatterer –he supplied most of the conversation, which made it easy for me. He'd lived in California till he was ten, so he knew how I felt about the sun. It turned out he was in my English class also. He was the nicest person I'd met today. But as we were entering the gym, he asked, 'So, did you stab Edward Cullen with a pencil or what? I've never seen him act like that.' I cringed. So I wasn't the only one who had noticed. And, apparently, that wasn't Edward Cullen's usual behavior. I decided to play dumb. 'Was that the boy I sat next to in Biology?' I asked artlessly.

'Yes,' he said. 'He looked like he was in pain or something.'

'I don't know,' I responded. 'I never spoke to him.'

'He's a weird guy.' Mike lingered by me instead of heading to the dressing room. 'If I were lucky enough to sit by you, I would have talked to you.' I smiled at him before walking through the girls' locker room door. He was friendly and clearly admiring. But it wasn't enough to ease my irritation." I couldn't believe that she thought that, being rude was my normal behavior. I mean I can see where she's coming from with first impressions and the fact that in Phoenix the good-looking guys are usually arrogant. I was going to express my thoughts but Alice was ready to kill me for multiple reasons.

"The Gym teacher, Coach Clapp, found me a uniform but didn't make me dress down for today's class. At home, only two years of P.E. were required. Here, P.E. was mandatory all four years. Forks was literally my personal hell on Earth. I watched four volleyball games running simultaneously. Remembering how many injuries I had sustained –and inflicted –playing volleyball, I felt faintly nauseated. The final bell rang at last. I walked slowly to the office to return my paperwork. The rain had drifted away, but the wind was strong, and colder. I wrapped my arms around myself. When I walked into the warm office, I almost turned around and walked back out. Edward Cullen Stood at the desk in front of me. I recognized again that tousled bronze hair. He didn't appear to notice my entrance. I stood pressed against the back wall, waiting for the receptionist to be free. He was arguing with her in a low, attractive voice. I quickly picked up the gist of the argument. He was trying to trade from sixth-hour Biology to another time –any other time. I just couldn't believe that this was about me. It had to be something else, something that happened before I entered the Biology room. The look on his face must have been about another aggravation entirely. It was impossible that this stranger could take such a sudden, intense dislike to me. The door opened again, and the cold wind suddenly gusted through the room, rustling the papers on the desk swirling my hair around my face. The girl who came in merely stepped to the desk, placed a note in the wire basket, and walked out again. But Edward Cullen's back stiffened, and he turned slowly to glare at me –his face was absurdly handsome –with piercing, hate-filled eyes. For an instant, I felt a thrill of genuine fear, raising the hair on my arms. The look only lasted a second, but it chilled me more than the freezing wind. He turned on his heel without another look at me, and disappeared out the door. I went meekly to the desk, my face white for once instead of red, and handed her the signed slip.

'How did your day go, dear?' The receptionist asked maternally.

'Fine,' I lied, my voice weak. She didn't look convinced. When I got to the truck, it was almost the last car in the lot. It seemed like a haven, already the closest thing to home I have in this damp green hole. I sat inside for a while, just staring out the windshield blankly. But soon I was cold enough to need the heater, so I turned the key and the engine roared to life. I headed back to Charlie's house, fighting tears the whole way there." I finished the chapter with my head in my hands, what was going on in my mind in this future. I couldn't comprehend my actions, but I was leaning towards the singer theory. Jasper nodded in agreement with my emotions, which told him what I was thinking.

"Feel kind of bad for the poor girl, she's not used to Eddies PMS mood swings yet, and she thinks its her fault. It doesn't help that Newton a vile specimen of a man confirmed her suspicions of Edwards habits… now cough over the book buddy or else there WILL be a fight… well maybe not but I want to read it's been a while since I have done that."

We all looked at Emmett as if he were a mad man. He switched from serious Emmett to goofy Emmett and back again in the matter of seconds I laughed at him and tossed him the book. Getting in a comfortable position on the armchair, not that it matter how I sat or stood I wouldn't be tired. I think everyone else was still too shocked to say anything about the complete turn the last chapter took.

**A/N Continue? Yes or No ….. Sorry for the length I didn't know where to cut it off. I have problems with keeping something short. I will not be rewriting every chapter if I do continue I only felt the need to do it for this chapter because it's the first one and its important. **


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